Tactics for crafting your UX portfolio

by
Foolproof Team

13th November 2014

At our core, UXers are problem solvers. It’s not all about the end product; we want to see your process.

The challenge here is in striking the right balance. Lots of pretty visuals without explanation are hard to follow. Paragraphs and paragraphs of text are hard to read. A great portfolio showcases your projects in an engaging way while succinctly describing your approach and design thinking.

Pick the best work to showcase you

You don’t need to include every project you’ve ever worked on. Be selective and choose a diverse set of projects that best show off your skills. It doesn’t have to be paid work; if this is the first job you’re applying for use university projects or set yourself a design challenge and show how you would solve it.

What was the problem?

Set the scene for your readers. Start with a sentence or two briefly describing the design brief or problem. Think about who the audience was and what the business challenges were.

What did you do?

Outline the approach you took, the methodologies you used and why you chose them. Remember to demonstrate soft skills too, this is your opportunity to show what its like to work with you.

What was the outcome?

Demonstrate your solution but also describe what happened as a result of this work. Think about the outcome for your client and the end user.

Was it a success?

Think about what made this piece of work a success and how did you measure it? Think also about what could have been improved or what you would do differently next time. This is your opportunity to show your growth and evolution as a practitioner.

Provide a great user experience

Don’t worry about building a flashy website if that’s not where your skills lie. You can easily create a simple, clear portfolio using PowerPoint. The underlying principles are the same; create something that is well laid out and easy to follow. Choose your words and visuals carefully and make sure you demonstrate both your work and what you are like to work with.